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Editorial

State police step up enforcement for holidays

Impaired driving — whether due to alcohol, drugs or both — is a year-round danger on our roadways. However, late summer and the Labor Day holiday period are among the deadliest times of the year for crashes and fatalities involving impaired drivers, the Michigan State Police advises. Over the Labor Day holiday weekends from 2019 to 2023, there were 44 driver fatalities in traffic crashes in Michigan. In those crashes, 43.2% of the drivers killed were alcohol- and/or drug-impaired, according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. Throughout 2023, of the ...

Tentative agreement between nurses, UPHS-Marquette good news

We view as unmitigated good news that UPHS-Marquette and registered nurses with the Michigan Nurses Association found common ground and reached a tentative contract agreement after months of bargaining. We're told the agreement provides significant gains in wages, addresses staffing concerns and enables nurses to keep their current health insurance. Specifically, the nurses’ tentative agreement includes: • Guaranteed wage increases of 18.75% over four years to bolster recruitment and retention at the U.P.’s largest hospital. • A new joint committee of hospital ...

Welcome back, NMU!

We are pleased to report that the greater Marquette area has a nice hum early this week as Northern Michigan University students have returned to campus. NMU Interim President Gavin Leach delivered the fall convocation last week. Many students have moved into residence halls and off-campus dwellings, classes are being held and students are everywhere — and that's a good thing. Some people might complain about the increased traffic and only an occasional loud gathering, but for the most part, the community should be pleased the students are back. They add to the local economy by ...

Scammers never run out of ideas

Scammers, it seems to us, never run short of schemes to part people from their money. The police agency involved in one of the latest is the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. According to the agency, the scammer will inform the target that their name was used to rent a vehicle which was stopped at the border and contained a large quantity of drugs. The scammer then has the target verify their Social Security number or tells the target their bank account has been compromised. In some cases, the scammer threatens the target with arrest for the fictional drug seizure and instructs the ...

Drivers must be extra cautious with local schools starting

Local schools are going to be starting soon and we urge drivers on local roadways to exercise additional caution and care when motoring. That's because, of course, children by the score are going to be out and about and in places they haven't been during the summer months. It can be a recipe for tragedy unless drivers think through what they are doing behind the wheel and really pay attention. Those first days back to class are a busy and exciting time. And students themselves, especially younger ones, may need reminders about how to stay safe on their way to school. But we believe ...

State home-heating assistance available

We'd like to underscore the importance of the message in a recent Mining Journal story about what's known as the Home Heating Tax Credit, which helps eligible residents manage heating costs during the colder months. Qualified Michigan renters and homeowners have until Tuesday, Sept. 30 to claim the credit and those who don’t file by the deadline will miss out. State officials tell us that last year, for example, the average qualifying household received $180 in assistance, which is most often applied directly to residents’ utility bills. Some energy providers automatically provide ...